death shake and adjusting the inner tie rods...

[Tercel_jon]

I tried doing my own alignment. Not wanting it perfect but decent enough to get me to town without using a 1/4 tank. I might have been using 1/2 gallon before this started. This also did NOT start after I went mudding at a friends house. It started 1/2 a week later most likely due to the stupid potholes around here. Anyway, I got rid of the death shake (it was BAD) at 55mph. However, when I hit the brakes, the death shake returns! as soon as I slow under ~45mph it stops the shaking and everything is fine. ??? Also, sometimes ~45-55mph I can cruise (just enough gas to keep me moving) and it goes in a straight line. However, under acceleration, it pulls to the left real bad. Ive adjusted the tie rods and tightened the nut where the ball joint connects to the lower control arm to no avail. Last time I had this death shake that nut was loose and every time I let off the gas, it seamed like the front end was going to come apart, thank you previous owner...

Also, Ive adjusted the outer tie rods all the way in and I still have a slight toe out problem. How would I go about adjusting the inner tie rods?

I know I need new control arm bushings and I can tell cause when I start moving after I stop, I here a nice little clunk right before I start moving. Think this could have something to do with the death shake?

[Petros]

you can not get proper alignment if your rubber bushings are worn and sloppy, nor if your ball joints are worn or loose. Fix those first, and than get the car aligned. Likely your problem is the bushings. In fact, presuming the alignment was once correct, if you replaced them first before messing with the tie-rod adjustments, it usually brings it back into correct alignment. If all you changed was the toe, after you replace the worn-out parts, you can reset correctly by carefully measuring the distance between the front and the back of the tire with a metal measuring tape, and set the toe-in accordingly.

Also, double check your lug nuts. I recently developed the "death shake" at certain speeds. I jacked the front of the car up and pushed and pulled hard on everything in the front suspension, and found nothing. I tightened the front lug nuts and lo! The problem when away.

good luck.

[Tercel_jon]

Thanks petros. Those lugnuts are what I always check first. Ive narrowed it down to what happens at what speeds. Its smooth as butter but occasionally decides to pull to the left under 50mph. At around 55 theres a tremble but I can live with it. However If I let off the gas above 35 I get a death wobble. If I hit the brakes slowly, everything smooths out with light pressure, than increases with pressure till I get down to about 20mph. Its weird. Rubber bushings are almost non existent so Ill get those replaced and then the balljoints. I did recieve my wheel bearing today so that should take care of some of it. Wish I had the money to just take a weekend and totally rebuild the entire front end. That would solve everything. Ill let you know what I come up with.

[garyfish]

control arm bushings are available at closeout prices thru Rock Auto... only a few left!
http://www.rockauto.com/

Manufacturer: MCQUAY-NORRIS
Part No: FB535
Lower Control Arm Bushing/Kit FRONT SUSP
Closeout Price: $6.15
Only 2 Remaining!

Manufacturer: TRW
Part No: 12473
Lower Control Arm Bushing/Kit FRONT SUSP
Closeout Price: $6.74
Only 3 Remaining!


they've also got some pretty good prices on inner & outer tie rod ends, & ball joints


best of luck to ya... keep us informed how you resolve the problem

[takza]

The thing about the front end is that it takes very little looseness in ANY joint to cause sloppy steering. What are there? 12 different places things can be loose? Find the worse and fix them?

Inner tie rods have no adjustment...they are jsut snug...or are supposed to be.

You'll want to align it?

I'd recommend the hanging laser method...

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=111

[Petros]

it sounds like your are hitting a harmonic at certain speeds. That would be the natural frequency of the suspension, tighten up the loose joints and you change the natural frequency, and also reduce the amount it can move, preventing the large vibration movements. IF you do the repairs yourself usually the parts do not cost much to fix the suspension, and fortunately the Tercel does not take any special tools to replace most of the suspension parts.

[Tercel_jon]

Thanks for all the responses guys. I finally got my drivers side wheel bearing done. That fixed ALOT of it. However theres still some wobble when I let off the gas and a tremble at 60. Steering is fine cept it pulls to the left mad crazy for some reason. Im going after new bushings now when I get the money.

[Petros]

I made my sloppy tension rod/sway bar bushings tighter by making some rubber "washers". I cut them out of some 1/4" flat rubber stock I had, about 3" Dia. and removed the large nut and washer and put them on the back. It compressed everything nice and tight and got rid of the slop without having to replace the factory doughnuts. Cost was free. You could do this with some nylon or polyethylene sheet as well. Even a piece cut from an old tire side wall would work.

[takza]

I made my sloppy tension rod/sway bar bushings tighter by making some rubber "washers". I cut them out of some 1/4" flat rubber stock I had, about 3" Dia. and removed the large nut and washer and put them on the back. It compressed everything nice and tight and got rid of the slop without having to replace the factory doughnuts. Cost was free. You could do this with some nylon or polyethylene sheet as well. Even a piece cut from an old tire side wall would work.

I've done that too...but you don't want to go overboard with it...because you need flexibility there...don't want to put a lot of side strain on the swaybar ends...they could fatigue. Main thing is to not make the diameter of the washer too large...so it only compresses the center part of the bushing...to not hit the swaybar itself?

[Tercel_jon]

Even a piece cut from an old tire side wall would work.

Well I think I know what Im doing as soon as this ground dries up.

I've done that too...but you don't want to go overboard with it...because you need flexibility there...don't want to put a lot of side strain on the swaybar ends...they could fatigue. Main thing is to not make the diameter of the washer too large...so it only compresses the center part of the bushing...to not hit the swaybar itself?

Gotcha. Cause mine a REALLY loose. I went looking for replacements but no luck. I dont mind doing this method with the tires sidewall though cause I actually have some of those that need to uhhhh disappear. lol. Thanks a ton to both of ya.

[ARCHINSTL]

Gotcha. Cause mine a REALLY loose. I went looking for replacements but no luck.

I posted OE parts numbers for all of the front bushings in the Parts Forum a couple of years ago. Butler had the best prices; give them a call or send an email.
Tom M.

[takza]

Here's a cross-section....




Not to beat a dead horse, but...notice the gaps between the control arm and the steel washers...that's where it flexes.

Anyone COULD cut out some circular washers from rubber stock...maybe 2 different diameters and duplicate the rubber parts?

A good material is the liner material that they use for tube type implement/truck tires which you can get for free anywhere they change these. It is fairly thick and fairly soft.

You could use any steel tubing in the center...just get the length from the old part.

[Tercel_jon]

Gotcha. Cause mine a REALLY loose. I went looking for replacements but no luck.

I posted OE parts numbers for all of the front bushings in the Parts Forum a couple of years ago. Butler had the best prices; give them a call or send an email.
Tom M.

Butler? Never heard of it. I checked everyone in town, napa, o-reileys, advanced and autozone. And the nearest toyota dealership is like 40? I think, miles away. Might be more.

Im going to find your thread with those part numbers.

Thanks takza for that cross section. I was wondering how it was supposed to look. The best way to describe mine is well...destroyed. If I cant find those part numbers and someone that has them, Ill go hunting for that liner material.

[ARCHINSTL]

Here is the thread with Butler's link...
https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php? ... way#p24528
I have mentioned it numerous times, as it has yet to fail or disappoint me.
Tom M.

[Tercel_jon]

Here is the thread with Butler's link...
http://www.tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtop ... way#p24528
I have mentioned it numerous times, as it has yet to fail or disappoint me.
Tom M.

Thanks man, i searched for that thread but never found it. Ima bookmark it now for future reference.